


The Closest Thing to Rain

by Geonn



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Detective Noir, F/F, F/M, Steampunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-13
Updated: 2011-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-21 08:53:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/223357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geonn/pseuds/Geonn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Private investigator Helen Magnus takes the case of a missing girl, but the search leads to uncomfortable encounters with her own past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Closest Thing to Rain

Temperatures for the past twenty days had been over a hundred degrees, hitting the high by noon and not dropping until well after dark. Helen Magnus was sitting in front of the open office window, a small oscillating fan perched on the windowsill to try and move the air around. Her hair was plastered to her forehead, and the tank top under her blouse felt soaked through with sweat. She had taken off her vest and suit jacket, both of which were now hanging in the window to catch any stray breezes. Her sleeves were rolled up, her tie loosened, and her hands lying limp on the arm of the chair.

With her head back, her body slack, a random observer might think she was dead. Her eyes were closed, and the only movement from her was when the fan passed by and the strands of her hair went briefly airborne. She didn't stir when the office door opened, nor when the objects were placed on her desk.

"You should eat before it gets cold."

Her lips curled up into the barest of smiles. "You're joking, right?" She reluctantly pushed herself up and turned the chair to face the desk. Her driver and all-around go-fer was dressed in a solid black suit, shirt buttoned all the way to the collar, and his cuffs tightly buttoned at the wrists. Despite the layers of clothing and his thick dirt-colored beard, he showed no sign of noticing the heat.

"You'll have to tell me your secret one of these days."

He simply huffed, shrugged, and gestured at the food. "Need anything else?"

"This will be fine. Thank you."

She opened the bag and found that his comment about getting cold was a joke. The bag held a salad, dressing on the side. Helen smiled and set up the food, just starting to eat when there was a knock on the door. She cursed quietly, considered hiding her meal, and then decided it didn't matter. "Come in."

A man stuck his head into the office and saw her salad. "Oh, dear. I'm interrupting your meal. I can come back..."

"No, if you don't mind watching me eat... please, come in."

The man hesitated but finally decided to take the invitation. He was average height, perhaps a little overweight, with thinning ginger hair. He had started the day wearing a suit, but the heat had forced it to be removed piece by piece. The shirt was unbuttoned to halfway down his chest, and she saw a dark ring of perspiration trailing down his undershirt. He removed a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped at his brow as he took a seat.

"Swelterin' out there."

"And in here. It's quite all right, Mister...?"

"Griffin. Nigel Griffin." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the door. "You're the detective? H.P. Magnus?"

She nodded. "I find I get more clients if I leave my gender a mystery as long as possible."

Griffin shrugged and nodded quickly. "Probably wise." He realized what he had said and looked at Helen to see if she was offended. She simply speared a piece of lettuce and chewed slowly until he was ready to continue. "There's a girl. She's gone missing and the cops wrote it off as just another runaway. I think someone oughta make sure, you know, just in case anything bad happened to her."

"A girl? Not your daughter?"

"Ah, no. No. That's one reason the cops won't listen to me. I think she's homeless. She's been coming into my haberdashery from about ten in the mornin' until early afternoon. You know how hot it's been out there. She just wanted to be in the shade. She's not hurtin' anyone, so I let her stay. She asked if she could sweep up a couple of times and make herself useful. Four days ago, she stops showing up. I thought maybe she'd found someplace else to stay. But then one of her friends came looking for her. Apparently I was the last one to see her."

Helen raised an eyebrow. "And you're worried that if she turns up dead, the police will suddenly be very interested in speaking with you."

"No!" He reared back in offense, but then sighed. "Well, yeah. Sure. But I'm also worried about this girl. She's out there somewhere."

"Do you have a photograph?"

"Yeah, her friend dropped it off." He reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and retrieved a small item wrapped in plastic. He shrugged. "Didn't want to sweat all over it."

Helen took the picture and took off the protection. The photograph showed a happy, smiling young woman with long blonde hair. Her bangs were cut straight across her eyebrows, shadowing her eyes.

"She's maybe a year, two years younger in that picture."

"Do you have a name?"

Griffin nodded. "Just a first name. Calls herself Ashley."

Helen traced the line of the girl's chin. "Ashley," she said softly. "All right, Mr. Griffin. I'll take your case." She put the picture next to her typewriter and put down her fork so they could discuss the terms of her employment.

#

Helen's Mercedes Courier was parked at the curb when she came downstairs. The chrome grill sparkled in the harsh sun, telling her that the driver had spent some time cleaning it. Yet, when she got into the backseat, she detected not even a whiff of sweat coming from the front seat. The interior of the car was cool, and she sank onto the upholstery with a sigh as she closed the door. She met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Take me to the club, please."

He pulled away from the curb without a comment. He was a taciturn fellow, to be sure, but money couldn't buy his form of loyalty. She had been hired by the man's enemy to prove he was a criminal. Barring actual proof, the client wanted her to plant some. Helen turned on the client and he took matters into his own hands. Helen found the man who would become her assistant dying of five bullet wounds. Her quick thinking had gotten him to the hospital, and a transfusion of her blood had helped save his life. Five years later, he was still working off his self-imposed debt to her. He refused payment, and Helen was happy to have him watching out for her.

When they reached the club, he broke his silence. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm never sure about this. But it's a necessary evil."

"Is it?"

Helen didn't have an answer, so she climbed out of the car. She leaned back into the window. "Don't go far. I won't be long."

She made sure her blouse was buttoned and her tie was straight before she went up to the club's front door. The bouncer knew her and smiled as he opened the door for her. "Ms. Magnus."

She ignored his greeting. The Montague Club was usually closed during the day, but its ceiling fans had become godsends during this heat wave. The owner had started opening the doors and serving lunch and cold drinks to the sweaty masses. The club looked dismal in the harsh light of day. The stage was empty and silent, and every gaudy decoration revealed just how cheap it was.

The manager's office door opened and Helen tensed at the sight of her former lover. John Druitt, his bald head gleaming in the overhead lights, spotted her immediately. His lips curled into a smile as he slowly came out from behind the bar. He spread his hands in greeting. "Helen. Ever a surprise to see you here. Your smile could brighten a dark day." He waited and then shrugged. "Well, if ever there was a day that didn't need brightening..." He stopped at the bottom of the steps, letting Helen tower over him for the moment. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Helen held up the picture. "Gotten any new dancers this week?"

John lightly touched the picture, which Helen found more disconcerting than if he had snatched it away from her. "She's a beautiful young girl, to be certain." He glanced at Helen and then back at the photo. "But I'm afraid to say she's a bit too young. Perhaps in a year or two."

"You may not get the chance. She's missing."

John stared at her for a moment, his smile unwavering. "I hope you don't expect me to express remorse. I don't know this girl. And if I railed against the universe for every pretty girl who came to an unfortunate end..."

"Yes, John. I'm well aware of the boundaries of your compassion." She started to turn away, and John chose that moment to ascend the steps. He grabbed her arm at the elbow and she twisted to escape his grasp. His fingers tightened just to the point of pain. "Get your hand off of me."

"I wish only to offer you comfort, Helen. Did you really come all this way just to flash a photograph and then leave? I hardly think so. You know I have a bath upstairs; it's spacious, luxurious, and the water comes chilled from the faucet."

Helen hated herself for her weakness, but she pulled her arm away. "I would rather strip down and splash in the fountain downtown."

John laughed. "Charge onlookers for the show and you could afford your own bath."

Helen turned her back on him and stormed out of the club. When she reached the curb, her driver pulled to a stop just long enough for her to get in. His timing was always impeccable. She swept her hair out of her face, folded her hands in her lap, and waited to control her breathing before she looked to the front of the car.

"Thank you."

He didn't respond; thanks weren't necessary in his point of view. He drove aimlessly without commenting on their lack of destination until Helen noticed it. She rubbed her forehead. "Take me to... take me to Commerce Avenue." That was the address Nigel Griffin had given her; hopefully it would lead her to the missing girl's friend.

#

The streets seemed insubstantial, heat lines rising from them like transparent curtains. Helen could almost feel the rubber in the soles of her shoes melting as she stood in front of Griffin's Odds and Ends. He finally opened the door and ushered her inside. Helen could tell why Ashley had taken refuge here. The magnificent shop spread out before her, with two staircases leading up to a second level loft. Every surface, and there were many, were filled with various items. She thought that if she lived two hundred years she wouldn't have enough time to see it all.

She pulled her attention away from the gewgaws and put it on Nigel. "I was wondering if I could speak to the girl's friend. The one who identified Ashley to you."

"I wish I could, but I don't know who she is. She just came through here looking for her friend. I asked if I could keep the picture, and she said it was fine."

"Could you describe her, then?"

"Dark hair, but light-colored eyes. She looked like one of them Indians, from Asia. Not the ones from here. She wore men's clothes. The pants were big on her and cinched at the waist. She looked really worried. Tell you the truth, she's half the reason I'm doing this."

Helen looked at the door with regret. Canvassing the neighborhood meant going back out into the heat; she was not looking forward to that. "You said Ashley usually came by in the mornings. Around ten or eleven?" Nigel nodded. "What time did this other girl come by?"

"You know, the first girl used to leave at around four or five in the afternoon. The other girl came looking for her about that same time."

"So maybe she was expecting Ashley at a certain time. The second girl never left her name?"

Griffin shook his head. "She was only here the once."

Helen looked at her wristwatch. "Okay. It's nearly four now. We can wait and see if the second girl shows up. If not, we'll start looking around the neighborhood." Hopefully the day would start cooling down by then. She walked to the nearest table and picked up a ribbon. She wore suits to work, and she generally preferred comfort to fashion, but occasionally she did like to look pretty. "In the meantime, what do you have in the way of hair ribbons?"

Griffin smiled.

#

Helen dipped the violet ribbon she'd purchased into a glass of ice water, then wrapped it around her right wrist before she stepped out into the sun. Her driver followed her and waited patiently while she scanned the street. The sun had disappeared behind the tallest buildings in Old City, but the pavement had spent the entire day gathering the sun's power. As the sky grew darker, the oppressive waves of heat rose from below instead of from on high.

"We'll drive a circuit of the neighborhood to see if we can spot this girl. Barring that--"

"Door to door search."

The thought depressed her, so she just nodded. She gripped her right wrist and squeezed, trying to transfer the rapidly diminishing cold from the cloth to her skin as she climbed into the backseat. She cranked down the window and brushed her hair back from her face. "Drive as slowly as you can without impeding traffic, please. Thank you."

The business district had fared the lean economic times better than other parts of town. Helen saw only a few vacancies, their dirty glass faces looking out onto the street with faded FOR LEASE signs. They hadn't gone far when Helen spotted a building that showed signs of a long-forgotten fire. The windows at ground level were boarded up, but those above the second floor were untouched.

"Stop the car, please." The car rolled to a stop at the curb and Helen exchanged the shade for a gentle breeze. Neither did much against the heat. She walked up to the plywood that covered the front door and tapped it lightly. The door swung on a single hinge, and Helen smiled. Definitely a squat. She heard the driver's door open and turned to him. "Wait here. I don't want her to think we're coming to hurt her."

Helen ducked under the door and stepped into the dark lobby of a former hotel. The once-opulent space had been separated into cubicles using whatever items were on hand. Doors were covered with holey sheets and towels. She listened for signs of life before she crossed the central area to the stairs. The interior of the building was oppressively hot, and Helen loosened her tie again to pop the upper-most button of her blouse.

She heard the sound of movement across the lobby and turned toward it. "Hello? My name is Helen Magnus. I'm not with the police. I just want to make sure someone is okay. I'm simply concerned for her safety." She took the picture from her pocket. "Her name is Ashley. She's a very pretty blonde girl. Or perhaps you know her friend... I don't know her name--"

"Kate."

The voice had come from one of the hovels formed by an upturned desk and two filing cabinets. "Yes. Ashley and Kate. Do they live here?"

"Who are you?"

"Helen Magnus. I'm a private investigator."

There were sounds of movement. "You're with the cops."

She shrugged. "I've worked with them before, yes. But not on this case. Ashley was spending time in a shop nearby during the day, to get out of the heat. The owner is worried for her. I work for him. If Ashley doesn't want to be taken to the police, then I have no obligation to turn her in. I just want to make sure she's safe."

A long silence before someone cursed quietly. "They stay here, yeah. Up on the second floor. They have their own room."

"Thank you."

"Don't tell 'em I told you, okay? We keep each other's secrets here. Don't tell 'em it was me."

Helen smiled. "I couldn't even if I wanted to. But thank you." She went up the stairs to the second floor and began a search. Several doors stood open, but one of the closed doors had a sign that announced it belonged to "The Free Girls." Helen tried the knob and was unsurprised to find it was unlocked.

The room wasn't the largest she'd ever seen, but it would be comfortable enough for two residents. A bed was under the window, the bedclothes stripped away and piled in the corner. The heavy blanket was nailed so that it draped the window and blocked most of the sun. The room was warm and the air was stagnant, but it was merely warm instead of hot.

A wooden crate stood near the door and Helen crouched to look at the collection of books and CDs. At the bottom of the stack, she found a pistol. She also found a book that appeared to be a journal. She flipped it open to the last entry and read the last paragraph. "Going to another meeting tomorrow. I hope he's not just another creepo."

Helen heard footsteps in the corridor and straightened. She had just reached the door when a girl matching Kate's description appeared. She took one look and darted away, moving quicker than a rabbit. "Kate! Don't run, please. I just want to help you."

Kate didn't bother replying. She took the stairs two at a time with Helen in hot pursuit. When they reached the lobby, Helen took a risk. She leapt, grabbed the fleeing girl's shoulders, and knocked her down. The hit the ground with a harmonic grunt, and Kate continued to try scrambling away. Helen grabbed her around the waist and held tight, ignoring the boot heels and flailing hands.  
"It is... much too... hot for this... young lady!" Helen twisted and pinned Kate to the ground. "Stop. I said stop! I do not want to hurt you, I simply want to find your friend. That is all I want to do. If she wants to return here once I've determined she's safe, then I will drive her myself. Now stop fighting me, damn you!"

Kate's struggled diminished by half. "You don't... want to arrest her?"

"I don't have the authority even if I wanted to. Nor do I have the authority to send her back to wherever she's running from. I just want to make sure she's safe."

"You can let me go."

Helen released her, and Kate slid a few feet away to sprawl on her back. Helen rolled over and sprawled as well, both women panting as they tried to catch their breath. The heat was like a blanket smothering them.

"Why did you run, damn it?"

"I thought you were a cop."

"A police officer would have just shot you." Helen sat up and wiped her brow. She got to her feet and offered Kate a hand up. Kate stared at the outstretched hand, the smooth pink skin and the manicured fingernails, and clapped her hand against it. She got to her feet and brushed herself off. Helen sighed. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine. I don't mind the heat too much." She looked to the side and a couple of spectators ducked back into their hovels.

"Ashley. She's your--"

"She's my girlfriend." Kate stared at Helen, daring her to make something of it.

Helen met her gaze unflinchingly. "If you're expecting shock, you won't find it from me. I've been known to cross the line myself. Let's take this someplace a bit more private, shall we?" She gestured at the stairs and let Kate lead the way back up to the room. Halfway up the stairs, Helen found her fedora where it had fallen during the pursuit. She beat it against her thigh to rid it of dust and any bugs that may have been investigating it, then put it back on her head.

In the erstwhile hotel room, Kate picked up the bedclothes and dumped them onto the mattress, kicked some dirty clothes into a pile, and brushed her hands. "I'd offer you a chair, but..."

"It's all right. I won't be staying long. I was hired by Nigel Griffin, the man who owns the store--"

"Ashley's boss."

Helen was surprised. "They had a formal arrangement of employment?"

"Well, she went there for most of the day and then came home with money. I don't know what else you'd call it."

Helen made a mental note of that. "When did Ashley disappear?"

"A couple days ago. Five days. One day she didn't come home from Griffin's place, so I thought..." She shrugged and leaned against the wall. "I thought maybe he'd given her a little extra. In exchange for a little extra. You know, after hours work."

Helen winced at the pain in the girl's voice. "Did Ashley do that sort of thing a lot?"

"No, never. Never. But she got offers, you know, all the time. And sometimes she talked about how easy it would be to make a lot of cash for not a lot of work. She didn't like guys. But letting one of them..." She sighed. "I thought maybe someone made her an offer she couldn't refuse. But then the next day she didn't show up, and I started looking around for her. The more places I looked, the more places she wasn't, the harder it got to believe I would ever see her again. It's like she just dropped off the face of the earth, you know?"

"I've lost my fair share of people that way in the past."

Kate finally looked at her, and Helen saw that Griffin hadn't been lying about her eyes. They were startlingly blue. Despite her comment about bearing the heat better than most people, Helen could see that she was sweating. Rings of sweat darkened her T-shirt.

"You really just want to find her?"

Helen nodded. "It's my only case at the moment."

"I'm sorry I made you run."

"That's quite all right." She picked up the journal. "I assume this is Ashley's. Would you mind if I kept it?"

Kate looked at the journal. "She'll be pissed. But I guess that means she'll be coming back in order to find out it was taken. I'll take the cold shoulder, so long as she's here. Go ahead, take it."

"Thank you. Now come with me."

Kate frowned. "Where am I going?"

"You'll find out soon enough. I assure you, it's nothing bad, no police or jail. Come on." She put her hand on Kate's shoulder and guided her out of the room. They closed the door and Kate went with Helen downstairs. She was tense, but obviously she didn't seem interested in running again. They stepped outside and Helen gasped at the head. "Good lord." She sighed and continued to the car. Her driver was standing by the front of the car and stepped forward to meet them.

"Did you not see her enter the building?"

Before the driver could answer, Kate said, "I took the side entrance. If I'd seen this dude waiting, I'd have run the other way."

"Now you don't have to run anywhere. Take Miss... Free to back to the Montague. Have Mr. Druitt give her a room for the evening. Make sure the room has a bath." Kate perked up at the thought. "And remain there, outside her door, and make certain Mr. Druitt and his customers remain respectable, please."

The driver nodded and opened the back door for Kate. "What about you?"

Helen sighed. "I'll walk. I need to clear my head before I speak with Mr. Griffin again. Apparently he wasn't entirely honest with me about his relationship with our missing girl."

"Walking?" He looked up at the sky. The sun had retreated, but its presence was still felt.

"Trust me, I'm as wary at the thought as you. But Kate needs the ride more than I do." She stepped back so that the driver could get into the car and watched it pull away. She hooked two fingers in the knot of her tie and loosened it, undid a few more buttons, and began the long slog back to Griffin's shop.

#

"I'm telling you, I never paid her a dime." Griffin was sweating heavily now, but that wasn't as clear a sign as it might have been under other circumstances. Helen herself felt like she was melting after her walk. "I don't know who told you otherwise--"

"The friend who came looking for her. She seemed to be under the impression Ashley was officially employed here."

Griffin laughed. "I sell trinkets and buttons." He picked up a handful of ribbons like the one around Helen's wrist. "I can barely afford to pay myself most months, forget about anyone else. If that girl had money, she didn't get a dime of it from me."

Helen reluctantly admitted she believed him. If there was something untoward going on, why would he have hired her to dig into Ashley's disappearance?

"But you found the other girl? Her friend?"

"Kate. Yes." Something occurred to her. "Kate said that Ashley didn't return home from work five days ago. You said she'd only been missing four days."

Griffin shrugged. "Well, if something happened to her after she left here, I wouldn't know it 'til the next day. Does that help you?"

"It gives me a timeline. Five days ago, something happened between the door of this shop and the place she was staying." She flipped open the journal she had taken from Ashley's home. She skimmed the final entry. "Ashley said she was having a meeting with someone the day she disappeared. Did she mention anything about that to you?"

Griffin shook his head and then frowned. "Well. Huh." He turned and went back into his office. When he returned, he was carrying a book. "There was a customer, that last day. He bought a hatband for his bowler. I was in the back room so I didn't see when he came in. He was talking to Ashley, smiling. She wasn't as happy to be talking with him."

"And you're only mentioning this now?"

"It wasn't odd. A girl like that is bound to get noticed, and get irritated at being noticed. The man paid for his purchase and tipped his hat to Ashley when he left. She watched him go, and she left not long after that. I didn't connect the two until now, when I was thinkin' about it." He put the book down and flipped to the appropriate page. "Lessee... um... ah, here. One hatband, he paid in cash, fifteen cents."

Helen peered down at the book to read the customer's name even as Griffin said it out loud. She felt a chill at hearing the man's name after so long.

"Adam Worth. Does the name mean anything to you?"

"Too much," Helen muttered.

#

With the heat, and her only mode of transportation currently parked at the Montague, Helen hailed a taxi. She nearly gave the address of her office, but at the last minute changed her mind. "Do you know the Wardenclyffe estate?" The cabbie nodded. "I'd like to go there, please. Thank you." She settled back against the seat and closed her eyes. The window was down, and the air washed over her. She fanned the collar of her blouse and puffed out her lower lip to blow air over her face. She was sick to death of the heat wave.

Griffin's voice echoed in her mind. Worth, Adam Worth. Again, after all these years. The thought made her want to return Griffin's money, apologize to Kate, and go back to her office and hide until it was time to go home. Or maybe she would keep Griffin's money and use it to skip town. Canada was supposed to be cold this time of year.

The cab parked in front of the open gates of Wardenclyffe Tower, and Helen paid him with a handsome tip. When he pulled away, she turned and examined the building. She looked down at her rumpled clothing and straightened her tie. She took off her fedora, swept her hair back from her face, and replaced the hat before she started up the drive.

Dr. Nikola Tesla didn't believe in answering the doorbell. He had once hired a woman to answer it for him, but she decided part of her duties involved erasing the charcoal equations he wrote on the floors, walls and windows. Helen bypassed the front door and walked around the veranda to the side entrance. It led directly into the observatory and, as expected, she could see Nikola through the glass. He was kneeling on the floor, writing on the wallpaper. The door was unlocked and she let herself in, gasping as she hit the interior air.

"Nikola, my god..."

He turned and rose from his crouch to face her. "Fantastic, isn't it?"

The air was crisp and cool, like a perfect day in spring. She turned her head to the ceiling and basked in it. She could almost feel the beads of sweat on her face and neck becoming ice and then evaporating. She took off her fedora and used it to waft the cool air toward her, the finger of the other hand pulling the collar of her blouse so that waves of it went inside to cool her chest. She came back to herself quickly, opening her eyes to find Nikola standing nearby and smiling at her.

"How in the world is this possible?"

"Conditioned air. It's not a new idea, not by any stretch of the imagination, but until now it has only been available to factories and large businesses. I've devised a way to make it practical for use in private homes. What do you think?"

Helen exhaled and expected to see her breath plume out in front of her. "I think I never want to move from this spot."

"I would be amenable to that suggestion."

The lecherous tone brought her back to herself. She cleared her throat and looked past him to the drawing on his wall. She was used to seeing numbers and letters in various arrangements as his graffiti, but this was something entirely different. It appeared to be a drawing of a huge, many-branched tree with a mess of roots stretching out to the molding along the floor. "Have you taken up art, Nikola?"

"This is merely a visual representation of something that came to me a few days ago as I lay in bed." He crouched and pointed to the spot where the tree would emerge from the ground. "This is that point. Me, lying in bed, waiting for the next step. Should I sleep in?" He traced one branch and then went back to the starting point. "Should I get out of bed immediately?" He traced a different branch, and then stood up. "Every decision I made had consequences and those consequences had their own. Each choice I made created a new branch. Sometimes two decisions let to the same point." He indicated a spot where two branches combined.

"And the roots?"

"The various decisions that led to me lying in bed thinking about this moment. That spot is really just another branch on a much larger tree." He waved his hand at the mess of branches that soared over his head, stretching all the way up to the ceiling. "Every route, every branch, every offshoot is a new reality. A new existence where one decision is chosen and the others are cast aside.

"Behold: the multiverse."

"My God, Nikola." She stepped forward and reached out to touch the tree. "So this means you don't believe in predetermination? It's all free will?"

His smile faded. "Why would you think that? No. I believe there's a co-mingling of free will and predetermination. I believe there is a plan for us, for all of us. Without free will, every life would be a single path." He tapped the tree with his knuckle. "Free will creates the new realities. Predetermination ensures we end up in the right place despite our meddling. For instance, I believe that you and I are meant to know one another. Helen Magnus and Nikola Tesla, no matter what the branch, we are intertwined irrevocably."

"What a depressing thought."

Nikola grinned and winked at her. "If you came by simply to hear me ramble about my latest theories, then I'm touched. However, I know you far too well to believe that's true."

Helen followed him across the observatory. "I'm looking for a girl."

"Back to that, are you?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's for a client. I have reason to believe Adam Worth is involved."

Nikola stopped in mid-step. "Adam Worth. Now there's a tree that deserves to be chopped down. Burnt." He turned to face her. "You came here for weapons."

"Whatever you have available."

He indicated she should follow him as he stepped into the main corridor. "My first suggestion is common sense. Call Detective Watson. Let the police deal with this madman. But since I know you'll never take that branch, I'll show you some of what I have available."

"A young girl's life is at stake here, Nikola. I can't simply turn my back."

"A young girl was involved last time, if I remember correctly. What was her name?"

"Imogen," Helen said softly. "Worth's daughter was named Imogen."

Nikola led her into a laboratory. He picked up a pistol-shaped object and held it out to her. "A directed energy weapon. Fire as soon as it's fully charged or the holster will get hot and scald you. The blast will knock him off his feet without killing him. Unless, of course, you have him up against a concrete wall. If he has nowhere to go, then he'll be crushed." He stared at her. "In that case, you'll want it on the highest setting, just to make certain."

Helen grimaced and tucked the weapon into her belt.

"And of course, the deadliest weapon you can take..." He held his hands out. "Me."

"Out of the question."

Nikola sighed. "I suppose you're going to rely on that oafish manservant of yours. What's his name? B--"

"It doesn't matter. He'll be more than enough back-up for me. Have you anything else I might be able to use?"

He turned and scanned the lab. "Ah. One other thing." He moved as if to brush past her and Helen stepped out of the way. At the last moment he stepped to her, one hand on her hip as he pressed her against the edge of the table. Helen kept her eyes wide open as Nikola kissed her, his fingers tensing and relaxing on her hip the entire time their lips were in contact. He pulled back and they both inhaled sharply.

He looked at her with dark eyes and a grin teasing his lips. "For luck," he said innocently.

"Right." Helen put her hands on his shoulder and pushed him away. Not unkindly, but firmly. He took two steps back, freeing her to increase the distance between them. "Thank you. For the gun."

"Whatever you need, you can count on me."

Helen straightened her collar and stepped out of the room. She heard Nikola following her to the front of the house and stopped when he said her name.

"You know, it is getting late. If you need someplace cool to sleep, I have a lot of rooms here at Wardenclyffe. It can get very... lonely. I would love to have the company."

"I'm sure you would, Nikola. I'll return the weapon when I'm finished with it."

"No rush."

Helen opened the door and stepped out onto the portico. The heat was even more oppressive now that she'd found a safe haven away from it. She took off her hat and walked down the drive. The taxi that had brought her to Nikola's door was long gone, and she finally resigned herself to taking the train back home. It was near evening, and she wanted to get a good night's sleep. She tried not to think of the certainly cold sheets and comfortable bedrooms that had been offered to her at Wardenclyffe.

#

It was late, but certain things in Old City didn't operate on banker's hours. With the recent heat especially, she was certain she would find who she needed still at work. She left the train station a few blocks from her apartment and went to a small watch shop called Foss Fobs. The bell over the door jangled to announce her entrance. The shop was a mess but, as always, it was a different mess than the last time she'd seen it. She was examining the new hodgepodge when Henry appeared in the door between the business and his workshop at the back.

"Oh, it's you." He smiled and held up his index finger. "Be right with you, Magnus."

The curtain between the two halves of the room fell back into place. Helen heard a mechanical whir, and then what sounded like a muffled explosion. Henry came through the curtain just a little faster than necessary, shaking his left hand and trying to hide a wince as he stopped in front of Helen with the counter between them.

"And what can I do for you today? Need another chest plate made up?" His eyes dropped to her chest and then quickly back to her eyes. Helen had once asked for the armor, but denied his insistence that he needed to make a mold of her torso to achieve a perfect fit. "Thank you, Henry. The first one is still working fine."

"Well, I'm just saying, it could always work a little... better." He coughed. "So if it's not my technological expertise..."

Helen said, "I need you to find someone for me." She took out the picture of Ashley and placed it on the counter. Henry looked down at it, examining the lines of her face carefully before he straightened and nodded. "Her name is Ashley, no last name known. She's homeless, and she's been missing for five days. And you should know... there's a chance Adam Worth is involved."

Henry's eyes widened. "Holy crap. Look, are you sure you don't want a new chest plate?"

The teasing had gone out of his voice now; he was truly concerned for her.

"I'm sure I'll be fine. Whatever you can find out tonight, Henry, I'd be much obliged."

"No problem. I can get on it right after I close up the shop." He sniffed. "Do you smell...?"

Helen was about to say she didn't smell anything when she picked up the faint scent of smoke. Henry was already running into the shop, the curtain swinging down after his passage. Helen called after him. "I want a phone call in the morning with whatever you've found!"

"Yeah, okay, yeah!"

Helen left the watch shop and started walking. With the sun completely gone, the world was starting to lose some of its swelter. It had been a long day and her head was pounding. All she wanted was a long bath, a good night's sleep, and a lower temperature when she woke up.

#

Helen dreamt of spiders and beasts that had no name. She found them all, ignored her own aches and pains as she traveled through a mysterious and frightening world. When she woke to the buzzing of her alarm, she was already sweating. She sighed, shut off the alarm, and reluctantly sat up. She'd kicked off her blankets and sheets in her sleep, even her tank top and panties proving too hot an outfit. Her window was open and the sash swayed in the meager breeze that would do little to alleviate the heat.

She got out of bed, the strange dreams of monsters already fading for the reality of heat and wakefulness. She didn't like taking two baths in the space of twelve hours, but she felt too grimy to resist the urge. As she soaked in the tub, trying to ignore as the water turned from slightly cool to tepid, she looked through Ashley's journal. There was very little of a typical teenage girl inside of Ashley; the book read like the memoir of a much older woman. The tone became much lighter, however, about two years before Ashley's disappearance. It didn't take much to figure out the cause of the shift.

 _"She came back today. I don't know, but I think she likes me. We talked for a while before she left, and she looked back before she went outside. She looked back. Does that mean something? I kind of hope it does. I'm kind of shaking when I think about her."_

 _"Kate slept over tonight. That's all. Can't stop smiling. Sorry. More later."_

When she was finished she dressed quickly in the hopes that she could trap some of the freshness against her body, but she knew it was a losing battle. She chose a white shirt and a red tie today, leaving her sweat-stained brown suit and wearing the gray one instead. Helen pinned her hair and covered it with her fedora. At least that would leave her neck bare for a breeze. She picked up Ashley's photograph off the dresser and looked at it a moment before she put it in the pocket of her blouse.

She left the apartment and saw her driver standing patiently at the foot of the stairs. His posture was relaxed, but he could have been standing there for five minutes or five hours. Helen walked past him and he fell into step beside her.

"Did Miss Free enjoy her evening at Club Montague?"

"Druitt was a perfect gentleman. After I reminded him to be. I took her home this morning."

"Thank you. Any calls at the office?"

He held out a paper. "Service took a message."

As she expected, the message was from Henry. "Tracked your girl down pretty easily. Looks like she was looking for someone, too. See Dr. Carpenter." An address followed and she handed the note back to her driver.

"I take it you know where that is?"

He nodded and they got into the car. Helen immediately rolled down the window and watched as the neighborhood rushed to finish their errands before the sun began beating down on them full-force. She glanced toward the front of the car. "It's going to be a long summer."

There was only a grunt of agreement from the front seat. Helen closed her eyes and enjoyed the ride through town.

William Carpenter's practice was located in his Victorian home. Helen's drive parked in front of the house and she instructed him to wait while she spoke with the man. She spotted Henry standing at the mouth of the alley and went to greet him. "You do fast work, Mr. Foss." She took a few folded bills from her pocket and handed them over.

"Yeah, well, pretty girl like that, people noticed her. I just followed the breadcrumbs and they led her." He nodded at the doctor's house.

"I swear you're part bloodhound."

Henry shrugged. "We all have our little talents. Let me know if you need anything else." Helen assured him she would, and he hurried off down the alley.

The sign hanging off the doctor's porch indicated that patients should follow the drive around the side of the house and knock on the side entrance. She did as instructed and he called for her to come inside. The man who greeted her was much younger than she expected. His brown hair was slicked to one side with a harsh part over his right eye, and he wore a pair of wireless glasses. His shirt was blue and rumpled, and he wore a red bowtie. It was still early enough that he looked pristine and untouched by the day.

He smiled. "I take it you're not my eight-thirty appointment."

"Afraid not."

"Tsk. You didn't look like a Mortimer. I'm Dr. Carpenter."

Helen accepted his hand. "Helen Magnus. I'm a private investigator, and I think you may be able to help me with something."

The doctor's smile faded. "You're with the guy who was asking around about me last night, aren't you? The one who has been lurking in the alley this morning." He went to the window and pushed back the curtains to see if he was still there.

"I'm afraid so. He's--"

"No, I don't care what you're doing. I'm not hiding anything. It's perfectly legal to change your name in this country." He turned and walked into his examination room and Helen followed. "What does it matter if I decided to save myself some grief? Although, hell, how much grief did I really avoid? Who sent you after me?"

"Dr. Carpenter, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I'm here about a case that I believe you have information regarding." She handed him the photograph. "Do you know this girl?"

"Ashley?" The anger faded from him. "Yes, I know Ashley. What happened? Is she okay?"

"That's what I've been hired to find out. Why was she coming here?"

Will handed the picture back. "As much as I'd like to help you, Ms. Magnus, I'm afraid that falls under doctor-patient confidentiality. I could only tell you what she wanted if she granted you permission or if you had proof she was..." He cleared his throat. "I really do wish I could help."

Helen tried to keep her voice calm. "Dr. Carpenter, this girl may have been taken by Adam Worth. I can see from your reaction that the name means something to you. If you have information that could help me find her, I would suggest you hand it over now rather than when she's dead."

He pulled his chair closer and sat down heavily. Helen waited, her patience wearing thin when he finally spoke. "She was coming here so I could test her blood. She was abandoned when she was a little girl and she thought my blood tests might help lead her to any family she might have out there. She read about me in the paper when I came to town. I've been doing experiments with blood."

"You agreed to do these experiments out of the goodness of your heart? She couldn't have paid you."

Will shook his head. "I would have done them for free. You don't get a lot of volunteers for an experiment that involves needles. I was accused of witchcraft in my last town, and people said I used the blood for pagan rituals. But Ashley insisted on paying me. Not much. I think the full total was fifteen dollars for a month of tests."

"Where would she get that sort of money?"

"I asked, but she wouldn't say."

Helen looked out the window. "What time did she generally stop by?"

"The beginning of the day, before my first patients. She was usually gone by ten."

At which point she would go to Nigel Griffin's haberdashery. "Where was she getting her money?" The question was to herself, and she hardly knew she'd spoken aloud until Will replied to her.

"You know, she might have mentioned something after all. I once asked why she didn't just go to the police, and she said they couldn't help her anymore. Maybe she was saying they couldn't help her any _more_. Maybe they were already helping her as much as they could."

Helen considered that. Kate was scared enough of the cops that she would bolt at the very sight of one. Would Ashley have gone to one for help? The answer hit her immediately and she rolled her eyes. "She would go to a cop if she didn't _know_ who he was. Thank you for your help, Dr. Carpenter." She stopped at the door and turned to face him. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your real name?"

"Zimmerman. It's German for Carpenter, so I figured it wasn't really a lie."

Helen touched the brim of her fedora and nodded farewell to him. "Good luck with your practice, Dr. Zimmerman. I hope one day you're able to be yourself."

"Me too, ma'am."

The sky was bright blue and the breeze was gentle. Moments like this, when the world looked perfect, it was easy to imagine the heat was coming from within her. She felt like she was about to spontaneously combust as she got into the car and slammed the door. "Take me to James' office, please. And step on it." She feared that if she hesitated she would chicken out. She didn't want to lose a promising lead on her case just because the man she had to talk to was a former lover.

#

She knew he was there because of his ever-present Meerschaum pipe. The stench filled his favorite pub, telling her that he was in his regular booth at the back of the room. Helen ignored the bartender's attempts to hold her off. James Watson, detective first class, often took cases off the books from people too afraid to go to the police. He held court in this pub during most mornings before he went in to his real place of work.

James looked up as she appeared, showing his usual lack of surprise. It was maddening to think he was always one step ahead. She placed Ashley's photograph on the table next to his Scotch. "Ashley. Where is she?"

James waved off the bartender and took the photograph. "I was afraid something had happened to her. Who hired you?"

"Nigel Griffin."

"Hm." He tucked the pipe into the corner of his mouth and put the picture down. "Please sit, Helen. It's disconcerting to have you hovering in such a manner."

She thought about remaining where she was just to be contrary, but she relented and slid into the booth across from him. James stared at her and Helen rolled her eyes at his perusal. Their relationship had been fleeting, carnal, and completely ill-advised. He was a friend and a confidante, and making him her lover had made him neither. She was uncomfortable being in the same room with him. Not because of what he might do; he was a gentleman. But she sometimes found it... difficult to restrain herself when he was involved.

"What I am about to tell you may be hard to hear, but it's the truth as I know it. Are you prepared for the truth behind this case, and this girl?"

Helen nodded. "Yes."

"You didn't think about it."

"I don't have to think, James. A young girl's life is in danger."

He considered his pipe for a moment and then set it aside. He folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. "Ashley is an orphan, abandoned when she was but an infant. Recently, she began inquiring into her family. She questioned the orphanage where she was left, but the birth parents had left no information. In the course of her searching, Ashley found a man who claimed to be connected to the orphanage. He said that he was there when Ashley was abandoned and he would help her find her parents.

"That man's name was Adam Worth." Helen closed her eyes and shook her head. "The past few months she has been working with him trying to find anything at all about her parents. She finally grew wise to his stalling tactics and used his resources to find me. I told her to cut all ties with Worth. She did as I asked, because she had already determined he had no real intention of helping her. That was one week ago."

"And now Adam's taken her. For God's sake, why? Does he intend for her to be a surrogate for Imogen?"

"No, Helen. He intends her to be revenge for Imogen." He picked up his pipe again. "I investigated for Ashley to discover if there was truly anything Worth could have done to help her. As it turned out, Worth didn't have the means or the knowledge necessary to answer Ashley's questions. But I did. You see, Ashley was abandoned at Our Lady's Hope twenty-one years ago."

Helen's heart skipped. "No."

"She's your daughter, Helen. Adam Worth took her as revenge for what you and John Druitt did to his Imogen."

She was aware of how badly she was shaking and dropped her hands under the table. It wouldn't do any good; James would determine how frightened she was just from glancing at her eyes. "Are you certain of this?"

"As certain as I can be given the paltry facts. I believe Worth discovered where you took your child, and he determined the most likely candidate based on age, sex... for all we know, he's done this before with other girls."

"I have to go." She pushed out of the booth. James stood and followed her. "He's expecting this reaction, Helen. He's expecting you to react emotionally, not logically. If you--"

She shut the door on his unwanted advice and walked to the car. She rested her elbows on the bonnet despite the heat scorching through her sleeves and covered her face with both hands. She heard the driver step out of the car and knew he was watching her silently, but she didn't care. She knew James was watching from the doorway, but she didn't care. All she could think about was the past, and a little ball of pink flesh wrapped tightly in a gray blanket. And snowflakes, which seemed almost mythical in this heat. She could almost feel the snowflakes on her eyelashes again.

#

She was born in an upper room of the Montague. Helen had been half-dead from exhaustion, unsure if she would never stand again and certain she would never again walk. And then the midwife gently placed the warm bundle in her arms. A mouth, so tiny to be producing such an angry sound, twisted in rage. A quiet instruction, a nightgown unbuttoned, and Helen laughed as her daughter began to feed.

The midwife sat behind her, stroking her sweaty hair and praising the job she had done. Helen could only laugh and quietly greet her daughter. Tickling the puffy cheek, touching her impossibly small hands and neck and shoulders. For a moment, things were perfect.

His form darkened the door, and the midwife stood quickly. Helen regretted losing her support as she returned her fiancée's stare. She tightened her embrace of the girl, and she began to sob plaintively again.

"Oh, dear. I seem to have woken the baby." He stepped into the room. "Might I... hold it?"

Helen closed her eyes. She hated her dependence on him for the past nine months. She had finally gathered the strength to leave him once and for all, only to come crawling back when she realized the truth of her condition. He had given her a place to stay, paid for her food, saving her from using her savings. She would have been destitute without him. And now, now he was going to take his price.

"The child, Helen. Please."

"Go to Hell, John."

"It is mine. Is it not?" He moved closer. "Perhaps you would allow James to hold it?"

Helen kissed the top of her daughter's head and rocked her. "Go to sleep, dear girl. Please, just go to sleep."

"Girl?"

Even giving him that much information made her angry. She glared at him. "Please. Go away, John. You have no right to her any longer."

They both heard a click and turned to see the midwife aiming a gun at John's chest. The barrel didn't waver. "I don't want to hurt the baby's ears, so if you would please cover them, Helen?"

Helen cupped one hand against the baby's head, cradling it to her chest and turning to protect her child with her body.

"I'll give you a three-count, Mr. Druitt, and then I will defend this woman and her daughter."

He backed from the room, smiling as if this was just a game. "I am glad to see you well, Helen." To the midwife, he said, "You, I will deal with at a later time." He turned and left, and Helen released the breath she'd been holding.

The midwife returned to the bed and pressed against Helen's back. Helen leaned against her. "Thank you."

"That man will never be satisfied. He'll hunt you both down."

Helen looked down at the sweet, innocent face of her anonymous daughter. Perhaps it was better she hadn't thought of names yet. She wept as she touched the barely-formed features, eyes that were shut to even the dim light of the hotel room. "So unfortunate that she... died so early. That you found her lying still and quiet in her crib. A tragedy."

"Helen..."

"She would be safer." She kissed the girl's head and turned to look at her friend. "Please, Ranna. Help me."

The midwife reached out and the girl snagged her finger in a tiny hand. Ranna sighed. "I'll do what I can, Helen. For you and for your daughter."

Helen wanted to thank her, but the words wouldn't form. How could she thank someone for taking away the most precious thing in her life? She handed over her daughter and rolled onto her side, curling into a ball so she wouldn't see Ranna leaving with her child.

#

Helen relived the night of the girl's - Ashley's - birth over and over again on the drive to Wardenclyffe. Ranna told her the name of the orphanage, but Helen had never sought her daughter out. Though she and John had reached somewhat of a détente, she still didn't trust him. She would never lead him to their daughter, not if she could help it, and the best way to protect her was to not know where she was. Of course now she had been thrust back into her life, and she knew that John would discover her deception.

She remembered the madness that had caused her to leave him. The violence of his encounters with the women who danced at his club, the increasingly criminal element that patronized the Montague. He'd never hit her, but she'd walked in on him with his hand around the throat of a dancer who couldn't be more than twenty.

The thought of Ashley being exposed to that man...

"We're here."

She realized the car had been stopped for a while and blushed. "Right, sorry. Wait for me here, please." The driver had parked in front of the house, and Helen walked around the veranda to the side entrance again. The door was open, which she found odd considering his experiment with conditioned air. Once inside, she understood: the room was just as oppressively hot as outside. Nikola wasn't in the room, so she began to search.

She felt like an intruder as she walked the empty halls, her mind racing at what Adam Worth had in mind. Was Ashley dead? Was he waiting for Helen to stumble upon his evil plan so she would be a witness to the death?

Helen found Nikola in his weapons lab. He wore a pair of goggles that he didn't bother to remove when he looked up, although his alarm was evident. "Helen?"

"Adam Worth has my daughter."

She wasn't aware of her sobbing until her knees hit the ground and she saw her tears hitting the concrete under her head.

#

Nikola carried her to a bed with strength she didn't realize he possessed. He placed a glass of ice water on the nightstand, then went around the large room and opened every window until a cross-breeze had been established. He left briefly and returned with a standing fan, which he placed in front of the window to further circulate the air. By the time he sat on the bed by her feet, the temperature was almost comfortable. He slipped his hand into hers and sat in silence until she was ready to start talking. She told him the story of Ashley, her daughter, and how she had hidden her. Then she told him what she'd learned from James and Will Carpenter.

When she finished, Nikola bent down and lightly kissed her forehead. "Get some rest..."

"Rest?" She sat up. "I can't rest. Adam Worth is out there and he has my daughter." Her voice cracked.

"We both know Worth won't do anything until he knows you'll be hurt by it. You're in shock. If you try to go after him like this, you'll only lose. Get some rest and go after him when you're full-strength again."

She sighed. "You're right. Thank you, Nikola."

He smiled. "Of course."

Helen lay back down on the pillows and closed her eyes. She listened to the hum of the fan, and thought of asking Nikola what happened to his air conditioner. When she opened her eyes, she was alone in the room. She turned, pressed her face to the pillow, and tried to push thoughts of Adam Worth out of her mind before she fell asleep.

#

The spiders and beasts of her nightmares were gone, replaced with a far more terrifying monster: Adam Worth. He had seemed sane when he hired her, the perfect gentleman and polite to a fault. His daughter was kidnapped, and he was understandably distraught. Helen joined forces with James and Nikola to try to find the girl, negotiating her ransom and showing up at the drop, but nothing had gone right. When the dust settled, Imogen had been killed along with her kidnappers. Adam flew into a rage and nearly beheaded Nikola before James and his officers managed to restrain him.

After that, he became a constant nuisance in Helen's life. They never knew which would show up, the distraught and mourning father or the raving madman. He would disappear for months at a time, only to return the moment her guard was down.

He'd lost his job, his fortune, and his wife. He became a criminal, robbing banks and then remaining until the police arrived so he could shoot at them. His plots became bolder, and his infamy grew until he was one of the most wanted men in the country. A couple of times Helen had arrived home to find a note from Worth painted on her front door. Once her car had nearly been forced off a bridge by a maniac who was never caught. If it hadn't been for the talents of her driver, she would have been killed for certain.

In Worth's twisted mind, Helen's failure was all that mattered. She had failed, and his daughter died. She pictured him with Ashley, holding a knife to her throat, telling Helen to beg for her life. Helen heard herself begging, and then saw the blood as the lunatic killed her anyway.

Helen woke with a scream trapped in her throat. Someone was sitting on the edge of the bed and pushed her down, strong hands on either shoulder so she wouldn't get up again. Nikola held her until she was calm, and then let her go. "You were shouting in your sleep. I came up to make sure everything was okay."

She looked at the window, confused by the fact his face was shrouded in shadow. "What time is it?"

"Nearly six."

"Good lord, Nikola." She pushed back the blankets, but he shoved her down again. "Let me go. I've wasted an entire day just lying here and Ashley..." It was the first time she had said the name and attached it to her flesh and blood, and she went still. "Please, Nikola."

"You won't find your ride waiting for you. I sent your manservant home. I also telephoned James Watson and he's taken up the investigation. He agreed that you were too emotionally invested. And Adam Worth wants to pull you into a trap. It's not safe--"

"It's my daughter."

"I know. That's exactly why you shouldn't be involved."

Helen scoffed and looked away. "Why, Nikola, I didn't know you could be so caring."

"It's easy enough, when you care." He reached to the nightstand to retrieve a glass. "Here. It's iced tea."

"I don't like iced tea."

"You have to drink something, Helen. It's been sweltering all day, and you've sweated through your underclothes." Helen looked down at herself and saw that he was right. She felt embarrassed, but then realized only Nikola had seen her. That somehow made it better.

"I'll take some ice."

Nikola accepted the minor victory. He fished a cube out of the glass with his slender fingers and held it out to her. Helen intended to take it from him with her hand, but at the last minute moved her head forward. She closed her lips around the end of the cube, kissing his fingertip and thumb at the same time, and pulled back slowly. The ice chilled her lips, and she touched it with her tongue before plucking it away from him.

She kept her eyes on him the entire time, swirling the cube around her mouth as he stared at her. The ice melted fast, a pool of quicksilver on her tongue as Nikola leaned in. His movements were tentative, giving her time to push him away or stop what was about to happen. Helen slipped her hand around his neck and pulled him forward. They kissed and she leaned back, taking him down with her.

Their relationship had always been defined by teasing and flirting, neither of them willing to take it the extra step until now. Helen wanted to be with someone, and Nikola was available. No, it wasn't simply that. Her world had been tossed onto its side with this revelation, and she wanted something familiar. She wanted her friend, and she wanted to let him make her feel better.

He put one hand on her shoulder, keeping her on the mattress as he pulled away from her. "Helen... wait."

"If you stop this now, it will never happen again, Nikola." She was breathless, desperate now. She ran her hands down his chest, the moist material clinging to his slender chest. "But it will happen in some other reality. One version of you will go along with this, and will make love to me. You might as well enjoy it. Let this be that branch of your tree, Nikola."

He growled as he kissed her again, moving his hand from her shoulder to her chest. He hooked his fingers over the knot in her tie and tugged it free. Helen found herself wishing she'd undressed for her nap if just so they would have less clothing between them right now. She tugged his shirt from his trousers, bending her legs to frame his hips as he twisted and settled onto the bed. She felt his erection brushing her thigh, safely barricaded between trousers and underwear for the moment as she fumbled with small buttons and dealt with Nikola's tongue being in her mouth.

Helen's tie came free, and Nikola went to work on the buttons of her blouse. She suddenly realized that her vest and jacket had been removed, but she didn't know when or where they had gone. She decided it didn't matter and began undoing his buttons as well. Once her chest was exposed, Nikola dropped down and began kissing along the curve of her breasts above her brassiere. Helen groaned and put her hands in his hair, writhing as his lips teased overheated flesh. Nikola finished undoing his shirt and tugged it off, tossing it aside as he reclaimed Helen's lips.

Their bodies, slick with sweat, seemed magnetically drawn to each other. Helen ran her hand down his chest, teasing his nipples before touching his stomach. She opened her eyes to see Nikola watching her, his lips curled into a smile as he took her hand and guided it lower. Helen's lips parted in silent surprise as she was guided to the front of his trousers. She sighed and squeezed, and his eyes closed with pleasure.

She traced the shape of him with her fingertips, letting him explore her neck with his lips and tongue. Finally, she opened his zipper and pushed down his underwear. She reached into his pants and he filled her hand. He nipped at her earlobe as she guided him out, wrapping her fingers around his shaft to stroke him as he moved higher on the mattress. Helen spread her legs and Nikola pressed his hips against the material stretched tight over her crotch.

He braced his arms on the headboard above her, staring down into her eyes as he moved against her. She could feel the pressure of him, her clothes rubbing intimately against her, but she couldn't bring herself to move enough to eliminate the last barriers between them. When Nikola sat up, Helen took the opportunity to get out of her blouse. She reached back and unclasped her bra, and Nikola pulled it away to see her breasts.

Helen fell back against the pillows as he explored her visually, his hands resting on her stomach before moving up to caress her. His thumbs circled her nipples and then he pinched them between his thumb and forefinger. Helen arched her back and pressed down against his exposed cock, grinding on him until he cried out in a mixture of pain and frustration.

They both reached for her belt at the same time, their hands colliding. Helen laughed breathlessly as her trousers were tugged down, and Nikola shifted his weight to get them completely off. Once he was out from between Helen's legs, he took off his own pants. Helen watched as his cock swung with his movements, long and slender and pink. She reached out and closed her hand around the head, squeezing it as she guided him to her. Before he settled on top of her, he stretched for the nightstand to retrieve another piece of ice from the glass.

Helen settled against the pillows and closed her eyes as he pressed the ice against her chest. It was blissfully cold, already melting as he swept it across her collar and the upper curve of her breasts. She kept her hands on him, teasing her folds with the blunt tip of him, until he released the ice that was now little more than a sliver. He bent down and covered it with his mouth, sucking until it was gone. As he sucked her neck, Helen lifted her hips and let him push inside of her.

He held her, both of them completely still as he filled her. Helen felt the rivulets of melted ice between her breasts, rolling down her neck to her hair. The spot where Nikola had kissed felt hot and cold at the same time, and her attention was focused on that as he began to move against her. His hand ran down her arm, tickling the soft skin of her inner elbow before moving down to her hand. She linked fingers with him and he smiled, and Helen found herself returning the smile as she tightened around him.

Helen closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, letting Nikola guide them. Her free hand went to his ass, her fingers splayed as she tried to push him deeper. His sweat dripped onto her, and Helen sat up to kiss and lick his chest. When her lips closed over a nipple, Nikola moaned helplessly and pressed tight against her. He was fully inside of her when he came, his body rigid as Helen used her inner muscles to massage and squeeze him until he was finished.

Nikola sagged against her, and Helen kissed from his chest up to his forehead. He seemed lifeless, limp on top of her, but his panting let her know he was still alive. She was suddenly aware of how sweaty they both were, the stink rising off their bodies not altogether unpleasant. She licked his shoulder and he did the same to her neck, and she chuckled at herself.

"Thank you, Nikola." Her voice was throaty, seductive. "I very much needed that."

He cleared his throat. "It was my pleasure. Well worth the wait. Although I often imagined you would insist on being on top."

She traced the faint lines of his chest muscles. "You imagined?"

"Often." He arched an eyebrow.

Helen rolled, straddling his waist and sitting heavily on him. He grunted. "Well, I would hate to destroy your fantasies. What else did they involve?"

His eyes flashed at the possibilities, and he began to speak.

Adam Worth, Ashley, and the whole damn mess were all still heavy on Helen's mind. But for the next few minutes, or hours, she was going to get her mind right before she went into battle. And if that involved getting even sweatier, then so be it.

#

Helen wrapped herself in Nikola's arms, naked, and slept again. She had spent at least two thirds of the day in slumber, but it was preferable to the heat. And feeling a man's naked body pressing against her from behind was far too good to give up. When she woke early the next morning, his erection was pressing insistently between her buttocks. She slipped away from him, kissed her way down his body, and he woke with his cock in her mouth. She teased him with her lips and tongue until he filled her mouth, and then he repaid the favor with his own lips and tongue.

She finally left the bed and dressed. The distraction had been beautiful, and she felt better than she had in years, but now she had to confront the evil in her life.

The sweat had dried on her clothes, so Nikola loaned her one of his suits. He sprawled on the bed with his feet crossed at the ankles, nude so that his cock rested against his hip, and watched her dress. Helen was irritated at being forced to put on a show, but amused and aroused to watch his cock respond as she put on his clothes. She wore her own underwear, but his trousers and shirt. Instead of a belt, she wore a pair of thin red suspenders that were covered by her jacket.

"Spectacular," he said. "There's just something about a woman in men's clothing..."

Helen bent down and kissed him, cupping his cock in a sort of farewell handshake. He gripped her wrist, keeping it in place. "So was this a one-night thing, or should I expect this kind of greeting every time you show up out of the blue?"

Helen wasn't sure. She kissed him again and said, "This is where we are on the branch for the moment. Let's see where it takes us before we take another route."

He smiled and let her go. She took her fedora off the nightstand and put it on.

"Try to be safe."

"I always try."

She left Wardenclyffe and found her Mercedes Courier waiting at the front gate. She blushed and wondered when Nikola had called for it, but decided she didn't have to explain herself to anyone, especially not her driver. He got out of the car when she was halfway down the driveway and held open the back door for her. She was prepared to ignore the fact she'd just spent almost an entire day inside Nikola Tesla's home when the big man spoke.

"You're smiling."

"Am I?"

"It looks good on you."

Helen's smile widened as she got into the car. Before Nikola, smiling had seemed impossible. Maybe this was the day to do all sorts of impossible things. If Adam Worth took Ashley because of what happened to Imogen, then he would want to make Helen suffer. He wouldn't be difficult to find because he wanted her to find him. She picked up the energy weapon Nikola had loaned her, which had been lying on the seat beside her.

"Go to the Worth estate."

Her driver glanced in the rearview mirror. "You'll need backup."

"No. I won't. This is between me and Worth, and it's ending today."

#

Adam Worth had once been a promising scientist, and his former home was a testament to his success. It also stood as a symbol of how far the man had fallen. Foreclosed, abandoned, forgotten, the front lawn's grass and weeds stood high like the brambles that protected Sleeping Beauty's castle. Helen's driver broke the lock that held the front gate closed and stepped forward to block her from entering.

"I should go."

"No. It should be me." She patted his chest and then rose to kiss his cheek. "But thank you."

"I'll be here if you need me."

"I know you will." He stepped aside and Helen started up the broken concrete walkway. The house also seemed like a manifestation of the madness that enveloped Worth's mind after his daughter's death. It stood dark and enigmatic against the yellow brown of the sky, with dark broken windows covered by mildewed curtains. The wood of the front porch was sagging and warped, and it creaked as Helen approached the door.

The lock had been broken. Helen pushed the door open and peered inside. The house didn't feel abandoned. "Adam Worth? Show yourself."

"Helen... Magnus." A laugh that seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Please, come in and make yourself coming. If I'd known you were coming, I'd have baked you a cake."

Helen stepped into the house. A grand staircase hugged the wall to her right and led up to a second floor landing. Once she was in the middle of the entry hall, Adam appeared at the railing. His shirt was rumpled and yellow, the collar turned up at the back. He swaggered slightly as if drunk and placed his hands on the rail. The wood protested at his weight and he grinned, showing her the gap in his teeth as he stared down at her.

"I'm curious. How much do you actually know? Did you actually solve the case, or just stumble here out of dumb, ignorant luck?"

"I'm here for my daughter."

Adam seemed genuinely impressed. "Well-done, madam detective. Your bastard..." He furrowed his brow. "Is that the appropriate word for an unwanted daughter? Bastardess? Anyway, Ashley Magnus has been shown nothing but the utmost civility. Until now, that is. Because, my dear Helen, this is where I repay you for what you did to me all those years ago." He turned and disappeared into one of the rooms.

Helen ran for the stairs, but she made it only halfway up before Adam returned. "Ah-ah!" He was leading Ashley in front of him, a knife pressed to the tender flesh of her throat. Helen's own throat closed at the sight, and she immediately froze. Adam grinned and craned his neck to look at the girl. "This is where the scales get balanced. This is where you atone for what you took from me. Eye for an eye, the oldest law known to man..."

"Don't... please."

Ashley was trembling, her eyes wide with fright and confusion. "Your girl played her part exceptionally well, Helen. I suggested she make friends with that Cockney ribbon-man because we knew he'd go to you when she went missing. If Griffin had failed, well, we had other plans to get you involved. Didn't we, Ashley? The doctor, Carpenter. Perhaps we would have sent Ashley to work in the Montague. How many men do you think she would have fucked before you realized she was your daughter?"

Ashley whimpered quietly, tears streaming down her face. "Mom?"

"It's all right, Ashley." Her voice hardened. "Adam, let's talk about this. I have a weapon in the back of my belt. Let me take it out and toss it to you. I just want this to end peacefully."

"There's little chance of that, Ms. Magnus. Throw me your gun."

Helen moved carefully. She took Nikola's energy blaster from her belt and cautiously tossed it onto the landing. It bounced a few times until it reached Adam's feet. He looked down at it and made a confused face.

"What in blazes is that supposed to be?"

"An energy weapon. It incapacitates without killing."

Adam laughed. "Nikola's invention, no doubt." He removed the knife from Ashley's throat, but wrapped his hand around her thick blonde hair before he stooped down. Helen ran up the rest of the stairs and stepped on the landing as Adam swung the gun up at her. "Watch yourself, Helen." His thumb found the button on the side, and the gun began to hum. "I could shoot you and still get my revenge. You'd watch while I slit your pretty little girl's throat. Crippled and broken but oh, so aware." He chuckled. He replaced the knife, the sharp tip dimpling Ashley's skin. He kept the gun trained on Helen.

"Now say goodbye to the daughter you threw away like so much garbage."

Helen felt tears burning her eyes. "Ashley, you have to understand it wasn't like that. Your father was..." She swallowed hard. "I did what I had to do. To protect you. I simply wanted you to be safe."

"Heart-warming," Adam sneered. "Terribly sorry it has to be this way, Ashley. Looking for a quick payday, helping an odd individual set up a surprise party for an old friend. Guess I should have told you the surprise would be on... you as... well..." He looked at the energy weapon. "What is wrong with..."

Helen had a mental image of Nikola holding the gun. _"A directed energy weapon. Fire as soon as it's fully charged or the holster will get hot and scald you."_

Adam cried out in surprise and tossed the gun away. The knife moved from Ashley's throat and Helen charged. "Ashley, on your knees!" Ashley dropped, and Helen slammed into Adam. She slammed into him and felt the knife slice through the sleeve of her blouse. Adam's breath was rotten from this close, but she ignored it as she slammed him into the wall. He rocked his head forward, aiming to break her nose on his sloping forehead, but Helen pulled back before he made contact. She punched her fist upward like a piston meeting his chin and his head snapped back, cracking on the drywall behind him.

"Mom!" Ashley said.

"Get outside, Ashley! There's a man there! He'll help--" Adam punched her in the gut and the air blew out of her. She moved her lips helplessly as he grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her backward. Helen sprawled and Adam held the knife up so she could see the sharpness of the blade. Helen gasped, one hand clutching her stomach as he advanced on her. Behind him, she saw the light from the door dim as Ashley ran outside.

 _Good. At least she'll be safe..._

"Not the vengeance I was hoping for, but it will do." He gripped the knife tightly and lunged.

Helen reacted without thinking. She swung up both legs and planted her feet in his chest. His advance bent her knees, and she kicked. Adam stumbled backward, slamming against the railing. It creaked loudly again, and Adam's face froze as he heard a snap. Then, at the last second, he smiled.

The wood cracked and snapped, and Adam fell out of her line of vision.

Helen held her stomach, still smarting from his blow, and crawled forward. Her arm was bleeding freely; she could feel the blood slick on her arm and it was staining her hand. She stopped at the edge of the landing and looked down at Adam's crumpled body on the foyer below. Blood stretched out to all sides, painting the weather-faded tile and cutting through the accumulated dust. The angle of his neck left no doubt as to whether he could be saved.

He was still smiling.

#

Helen's driver helped her into the car, and Ashley staunched the bleeding with Helen's tie. Helen gave her driver the address of Dr. Carpenter's home and sagged against the seat. She was still struggling to catch her breath, and her stomach felt like it was wrapped in steel. They were well underway when Helen realized Ashley was staring at her. Helen met her gaze, familiar blue eyes and those harsh bangs looking back, and said, "As far as I know, it's true. We have a lot to talk about."

Ashley nodded and made sure the bleeding hadn't gotten worse. When they arrived at the doctor's, the driver carried Helen inside. Will immediately came to her aid, cutting away the sleeve to sterilize and stitch up the wound. Ashley waited in the waiting room with the driver, and Helen had a chance to process the fact that her long-lost daughter may be sitting just a few feet away.

"Dr. Zimmerman... the blood tests you do. Is there a chance you could tell if two people are related with just their blood?"

"Yes, I think it's possible. It's the fringes of medicine, but I've seen essays on--"

"I'd like you to compare my blood to Ashley's."

Will looked at her for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Any reason why?"

"I would rather have you go into it with an open mind."

"Reasonable." He took out a syringe. "I already have a sample of Ashley's blood on hand. I'll just do a quick comparison and see if I can find what you're looking for."

"Thank you, Dr. Zimmerman." She closed her eyes. "I apologize. Dr. Carpenter."

He smiled. "It's okay, you're a little woozy. Besides, I think I prefer Zimmerman after all. If anyone has a problem with it, well, I'm not sure I want them in my house anyway."

Helen chuckled. "Amen to that."

#

Helen cupped her arm through the sleeve. She was still wearing Nikola's torn and bloodied shirt, but the damage was mostly hidden by her jacket. Ashley was sitting beside her in the backseat watching the city go by. Neither of them had said much after Will made his conclusion. Helen didn't want to force any kind of relationship on the girl, and didn't want to scare her away by coming on too strong. She was surprised when she felt Ashley's hand on hers. She looked down, and then looked up at Ashley.

"I guess it worked out after all, huh?" She chuckled and wiped her eyes with her free hands. "Found you."

"Yes. You did. And I swear, we'll have a conversation and discuss everything you want to know just as soon as possible. But right now there's something more important we must attend to."

The car slowed, and Ashley frowned when she saw where they were. She scanned the parking lot, and sucked in a breath when she saw who was waiting at the front door of the building. She threw the door open and ran across the sidewalk at full speed. Kate met her halfway and caught her in an embrace. They were already kissing when Helen climbed from the car and shut the door behind her.

The driver joined her. "They look happy."

"Yes, they do." Helen chuckled.

"You still have to deal with Druitt."

Helen sighed. "Yes."

"And Dr. Tesla."

"There will be time for all of that later. For now, let us just enjoy a job well done, okay?"

He grunted. Ashley and her girlfriend were embracing now, sobbing and laughing, and Helen could almost hear Ashley apologizing for everything. She could see Kate didn't care about the lies or the plot with Worth. All that mattered now was that her girlfriend was home, she was safe, and - for the moment - everything was good.

#

At first, she thought it was an explosion. Her hand groped under the pillow for her gun and she sat up with it aiming at nothing. She held for a long moment, waiting for the sound to repeat itself. When it didn't, she climbed out of bed and walked barefoot down the hall. She wore only underwear and a tank top, her hair a rats' nest from sleep. Her heart pounded as she expected Adam Worth's face to appear from shadows.

The doors to the observatory were open for the air currents. Helen's skin felt the cool breeze coming from outside and thought she must be dreaming. She put down her weapon and walked outside, closing her eyes at the soft touch of the wind. It lifted her hair and blew over her body like caressing hands.

There was a rapid flash, and then the explosive sound was repeated: thunder. Helen looked up into the sky as the first fat droplet of rain hit her in the face. She touched it lightly with one finger, laughed out loud, and then shouted as the deluge began. She trembled and hunched her shoulders, knowing she should go back inside but reluctant to leave the miraculous rainstorm. It soaked her, attached her clothes to her body. She felt the tracks of cold, fresh water running over her body and parted her lips to catch the rain on her tongue.

When she finally did go back in, shaking a seizure as she dripped on the tile, she caught sight of Nikola's multiverse tree. She walked up to it, rain making her hair heavy, her entire body feeling like ice, and touched one of the branches. Her wet finger smeared the ink. She smiled and wondered if any of the other Helen Magnuses in the multiverse were as happy as she was at that moment.

She left the tree behind and went back to the bedroom, already snickering at how she planned to wake Nikola.


End file.
